The Nut (nə́t) is the area at the joint of a guitar between the headstock and fretboard, which holds the strings firmly in place. The nut, which come as either standard or locking, can be made from a variety of materials, such as bone, brass, graphite, nylon, and/or plastic. Standard nuts are preferred when attempting a more traditional guitar sound, while locking nuts, which hold the strings firmly in place, are usually used with rock-style guitars. Since the tension of the strings is dependent upon the nut, the tone the guitar produces can be adversely affected if a nut is not properly cut and placed.